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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · cabinet · calf · leaves · stand · field · mouse · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. field — farmland
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. field — a subject
  7. content — the amount
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. content — happy
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. field — for sport
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. calf — of the leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com